Beijing Hutongs — Introduction and Visitors' Guide

The old lanes of the Beijing hutongs, many laid out hundreds of years ago during the Ming and Qing dynasty eras (1368-1912), retain some of the traditional culture and way of life of the past. Visiting the Beijing hutongs for shopping, dining, and experiencing the street life is a way to get in touch with the everyday people and experience the daily life of people in Beijing.

What Is a Hutong?

A Beijing hutong

A hutong is a lane or alley formed by traditional courtyard compounds lining both sides. These hutongs range from little alleys 40 centimeters wide to streets 10 meters wide.

The compounds that line the lanes and alleys are called "siheyuan" (四合院
sìhéyuàn /srr-her-ywhen/). The word means: 'four joined-together courtyard.' They are old buildings arranged on four sides around a courtyard, and the buildings and the courtyard are enclosed by a wall.

Hutong History

An old style siheyuan of the past

The Mongolians captured the Beijing area in 1215, and in 1271 they started to build their Yuan Empire (1271–1368) capital called Dadu (大都 Dàdū). It was recorded that in the Yuan Empire a 36-meter-wide road was called a standard street, a
18-meter-wide one was a small street, and a 9-meter-wide lane was named a hutong (胡同 hùtōng /hoo-tong/ 'haphazardly together').

Perhaps the name describes the haphazard unplanned construction of many of the hutongs. The word hutong originates from the Mongolian word hottog that
means 'water well' in Mongolian. In ancient times, villagers dug a
well and then lived around it.

In the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1912) empires, the officials and wealthy people built their grand siheyuan compounds close to the Forbidden City of the emperors along hutong lanes that were wide and laid out according to a plan. A good example is the Qiao
Family Grand Courtyard. The commoners and poorer people, however, built smaller siheyuan around narrower lanes and alleys, laid out haphazardly on the outskirts of the capital city. See more on Hutong History.

Hutong Culture

Visiting the hutongs by rickshaw

The hutongs have descriptive names that tell their origin, location, or history. It is in these gray lanes and alleys where kids play and people shop and socialize. See Life in Beijing's Hutongs.

Beijing still has about 400,000 residential siheyuans that are mainly in the East, West, Xuanwu, and Chongwen districts. New construction threatens the existence of most hutongs. The municipal government has earmarked a number of them for protection. See more on The Protection of Beijing's Traditional Hutong Residence Heritage

Hutongs in Popular Culture

Beijing's narrow hutong alleys are the setting for many a popular Chinese tale.

One of China's most famous authors, Laoshe, was born in a small lane in the west of the city. The
memories of his childhood were so dear to him and left such a deep
impression that even after he'd been away from Beijing for more than 20
years, he still clearly remembered his birthplace. He made it the
backdrop of his novel "Four Generations under One Roof."

Many famous operas and dramas are based on the themes of the life in the hutongs, and a drama by the
Beijing People's Art Theatre such as "Teahouse" or "Small Hutong" in the evening would complement a visit there.

Some Recommended Hutongs

Tourists like the hutongs where they can shop, sightsee, and enjoy the tea houses and restaurants such as Jiuwan Hutong and Wudaoying Hutong. For more about these hutongs and what to do there, see our top Hutong recommendations.

Things to Do in the Hutongs

Tourists in Tobacco Pouch Street

Shopping, dining, relaxing in teahouses and hutong cafes or just seeing how residents live are things you can do. You can experience the street life and visit with typical Beijingers.

There are thousands of little shops and big stores where you can bargain and try to get a deal on a variety of items. The hutongs are enjoyed for their authentic dining experiences and hutong food. The teahouses or cafes are places you can rest. See The Best Cafes in Beijing's Hutongs.

Touring the Hutongs with China Highlights

Visiting the hutongs by bike

The hutongs reflect the culture of the common people, while the
Forbidden City, Summer Palace, and the Temple of Heaven are symbols
of imperial culture. To get to know Beijing, you should not miss the hutongs during a Beijing
tour!